Gary Ablett reckons he’s closer to achieving the one thing that motivates him – an AFL premiership with Gold Coast.

He’s not saying it will happen this year. But Ablett can see a return to finals on his horizon.

“I want to win another premiership, I really do,” the Suns captain said in Adelaide on Wednesday.

“Obviously I was lucky enough to win a couple down at Geelong and it was a pretty special feeling.

“It’s something that I’m going to be able to look back on in five, 10 years time, and have a quiet beer with those boys.

“I want to be able to do that with the Gold Coast boys as well … it would be pretty satisfying to have a premiership up there.”

The dual Brownlow medallist believed the Suns’ crop of youngsters were ripening to AFL maturity.

“We have got so many talented kids, but talent does win finals, it doesn’t win premierships. It takes a mixture of talent and hard work,” Ablett said.

“And I think as a group we are starting to understand what it takes – how professional you have to be, how hard you have to train.

“We have stepped up preseason 10 or 15 per cent this year, workload wise, and the boys’ bodies have been able to handle it. We’re very happy with where we’re at.”